Four of the eight Nevada teenagers accused in the deadly beating of a student near Rancho High School in Las Vegas are formally facing second-degree murder charges and conspiracy to commit battery with substantial bodily harm following a Tuesday morning appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said the acts were not pre-meditated and didn’t warrant the stronger murder charge of first degree.
16-year-old Dontral Beaver, 17-year-old Gianni Robinson, 17-year-old Damien Hernandez, and 16-year-old Treavion Randolph made their first appearance in adult court Friday. The four will be tried in court together and due to the nature of the crime, they are being charged as adults in the court system.
However, during the morning hearing, the judge ordered the teens to continue to be held without bail at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center for safety reasons until their next court appearance on Dec. 14.
The teens are accused of attacking 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis during a fight over some stolen items. Video of the beating showed Lewis on the ground with a group of teens kicking and punching him. The coroner listed his cause of death as complications of multiple blunt-force injuries.
Police identified 10 people as being involved in the beating another four suspects are currently in the juvenile system awaiting certification to enter the adult system. Wolfson said a ninth suspect was arrested a few days ago but a 10th “person of interest” remains at large.
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